The Sodfather: George Toma has tended the turf at every Super Bowl game

 

The Sodfather: George Toma has tended the turf at every Super Bowl game

Transcript¹

A 94-year-old football turf expert is putting the finishing touches on the ground that will host Sunday's Super Bowl. He says sod care is a bigger chore for the halftime show than the game itself.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

This Sunday marks the 57th Super Bowl, and groundskeeper George Toma has tended to all of them - yes, all 57. Toma is 94 years old, and he's been in Glendale, Ariz., for almost two weeks, working with the NFL to get the fields ready for the big game and the halftime show. Here's reporter Greg Echlin.

GREG ECHLIN, BYLINE²: While security at the game has ramped³ up with helicopters above and perimeter⁴ fencing around the stadium, on the playing surface, the final touches are being applied⁵. This Super Bowl matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs is special to lifelong groundskeeper George Toma. He grew up in Pennsylvania.

GEORGE TOMA: I always rooted for the Eagles. When I was 9, 10 years old, my uncle would take me down to Shibe Park to see the Phillies play and the Eagles play.

ECHLIN: But Toma, known as The Sodfather and the God of Sod, has spent most of his adult life in Kansas City. When the Chiefs began playing there in 1963, he took over as the groundskeeper for the team. And for the past 56 Super Bowls, the NFL has tapped him to help make the sod sparkle⁶ for football's most important game. Toma says it's become a really big deal now.

G TOMA: And in those first 27 Super Bowl, we didn't spend a thousand dollars on the field for a game - and this one here, $750,000.

ECHLIN: Thomas says he keeps coming back to the Super Bowl because of the work ethic⁷ instilled⁸ in him while growing up in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. At age 16, he was the head groundskeeper of the town's minor⁹ league baseball team. Today, at 94, Toma is at the Super Bowl with his son Ryan, who is there to lend a helping¹⁰ hand. Ryan says his dad tries his best to be nonpartisan, but even the grounds crew leaned one way or the other.

RYAN TOMA: We were getting ready to paint the Eagles end zone, and the Eagles guys made the Kansas City guys stand just outside of it. So, yeah - couldn't go in. They wouldn't allow us in there.

ECHLIN: And when the Chiefs colors were painted on their side of the end zone, turnabout became fair play.

R TOMA: Get out of here, guys. This is ours. This is our turf.

ECHLIN: George Toma says while much of the attention will be on the game, he is more concerned about the halftime show, which will feature hundreds of performers, including pop star Rihanna, trampling¹¹ the field that he cares so much about.

G TOMA: I hate to say this, but the halftime show is more important than the game.

ECHLIN: But not a task that The Sodfather can't handle.

For NPR News, I'm Greg Echlin in Glendale, Ariz.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 ramped   

土堤斜坡( ramp的过去式和过去分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• With the arrival of George Lucas, the pace has ramped up. 随着乔治·卢卡斯的到来，速度大大加快。
• They also sold corporate bonds as the global financial crisis ramped up. 在全球金融危机加剧之际，他们还抛售了公司债券。

4 perimeter   

n.周边，周长，周界

参考例句：

• The river marks the eastern perimeter of our land.这条河标示我们的土地东面的边界。
• Drinks in hands,they wandered around the perimeter of the ball field.他们手里拿着饮料在球场周围漫不经心地遛跶。

5 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。

6 sparkle   

vi.闪，焕发；n.闪光，闪烁，活力

参考例句：

• Dewdrops sparkle in the morning sun.露珠在早晨的阳光下闪着光。
• There was a sudden sparkle as her diamond ring caught the light.当她的钻石戒指遇到光时，有阵突然的闪耀。

7 ethic   

n.道德标准，行为准则

参考例句：

• They instilled the work ethic into their children.他们在孩子们的心中注入了职业道德的理念。
• The connotation of education ethic is rooted in human nature's mobility.教育伦理的内涵根源于人本性的变动性。

8 instilled   

v.逐渐使某人获得（某种可取的品质），逐步灌输( instill的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Nature has instilled in our minds an insatiable desire to see truth. 自然给我们心灵注入了永无休止的发现真理的欲望。 来自辞典例句
• I instilled the need for kindness into my children. 我不断向孩子们灌输仁慈的必要。 来自辞典例句

9 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 trampling   

踩( trample的现在分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯

参考例句：

• Diplomats denounced the leaders for trampling their citizens' civil rights. 外交官谴责这些领导人践踏其公民的公民权。
• They don't want people trampling the grass, pitching tents or building fires. 他们不希望人们踩踏草坪、支帐篷或生火。